Sydney: With just five weeks to go until the Olympics, organisers have offered free public transport and free tickets to more than 40,000 in a move to "support them, nurture them".
In recent weeks many volunteers had been distressed by the confusion over their transport entitlement. Games organisers have now reached an agreement to allow volunteers at the Olympic and Paramedic Games, free travel on ferries and public and private buses.
In addition they will still be entitled to free transport on all trains and buses on Olympic routes. Many volunteers will also be given a ticket to an opening ceremony dress rehearsal, following a decision by organizers to abandon plans to sell these tickets publicly.
Volunteers working at the stadium, superdome and the common domain at Olympic Park will be given a ticket to one of the two opening ceremony dress rehearsals or a morning session of athletics where 250,000 tickets are still unsold.
Volunteers at other competition venues will be given free admission to one of the two dress rehearsals.
Volunteers who don't work at sporting venues but help with duties such as driving or uniform distribution will be given a ticket to a morning session of athletics worth between $35 and $85, depending on the classification.
Organisers will honour a commitment to provide two free dress rehearsal tickets to all performers in the ceremonies and to volunteers who help stage the ceremonies. Families who agree to take part in the host family program - billeting the families of international athletes - also will be entitled to two free tickets to the opening ceremony dress rehearsal.
In Atlanta, organisers lost large numbers of volunteers who simply walked off the job or failed to turn up for their rostered shifts. But SOCOG's manager of the volunteer program, Mr David Brettell, said these initiatives were about acknowledging the importance of volunteers, rather than attempting to ensure they stayed at their posts.
All Olympic volunteers, including those working at interstate football venues, will go into a draw for six trips to the International Olympic Committee headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland and for three cars donated by a sponsor.
Gold for Aussie dollar
Olympic gold may rub off on the Australia dollar in the wake of the Games, delivering a windfall to those taking an overseas trip after September, according to currency pundits.
The dollar has been wallowing below the US 60-cent mark for most of the year, but an "Olympic effect" is expected to give it a boost.
If history is any guide currencies of most Olympic host countries rose aftertheir Games, including the Spanish peseta and the US dollar after Barcelona in 1992, Los Angeles in 1984 and Atlanta in 1996.
The Canadian dollar, which, like the Australian dollar, is traditionally seen as commodities-driven, jumped two per cent during the Montreal Olympics and finished the year much higher.
But the fickle Aussie has put in anything but a gold medal performance of late, hitting a near-record low of US56.50 against the greenback in May.
There are good reasons for the dollar to benefit from the Games. The Olympics will boost exports by about $1.5 billion in the September quarter, including $1 billion in TV rights.
In addition, the Olympics will attract an estimated 130,000 overseas spectators, media workers, athletes and officials all laden with foreign currency that must be converted to local dollars.
This export bonus will reduce the current account deficit - the gap between the value of our exports compared to imports - and support the dollar. Some currency experts also expect the dollar will benefit from an Olympics recognition factor.
They hope that with the eyes of the world focused on Sydney for those two weeks in September, the dollar will attract overseas investors simply because we are in the spotlight. But like all forecasts, there is a risk the "Olympic effect" might not materialise.
Professional Management Group
In recent weeks many volunteers had been distressed by the confusion over their transport entitlement. Games organisers have now reached an agreement to allow volunteers at the Olympic and Paramedic Games, free travel on ferries and public and private buses.
In addition they will still be entitled to free transport on all trains and buses on Olympic routes. Many volunteers will also be given a ticket to an opening ceremony dress rehearsal, following a decision by organizers to abandon plans to sell these tickets publicly.
Volunteers working at the stadium, superdome and the common domain at Olympic Park will be given a ticket to one of the two opening ceremony dress rehearsals or a morning session of athletics where 250,000 tickets are still unsold.
Volunteers at other competition venues will be given free admission to one of the two dress rehearsals.
Volunteers who don't work at sporting venues but help with duties such as driving or uniform distribution will be given a ticket to a morning session of athletics worth between $35 and $85, depending on the classification.
Organisers will honour a commitment to provide two free dress rehearsal tickets to all performers in the ceremonies and to volunteers who help stage the ceremonies. Families who agree to take part in the host family program - billeting the families of international athletes - also will be entitled to two free tickets to the opening ceremony dress rehearsal.
In Atlanta, organisers lost large numbers of volunteers who simply walked off the job or failed to turn up for their rostered shifts. But SOCOG's manager of the volunteer program, Mr David Brettell, said these initiatives were about acknowledging the importance of volunteers, rather than attempting to ensure they stayed at their posts.
All Olympic volunteers, including those working at interstate football venues, will go into a draw for six trips to the International Olympic Committee headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland and for three cars donated by a sponsor.
Gold for Aussie dollar
Olympic gold may rub off on the Australia dollar in the wake of the Games, delivering a windfall to those taking an overseas trip after September, according to currency pundits.
The dollar has been wallowing below the US 60-cent mark for most of the year, but an "Olympic effect" is expected to give it a boost.
If history is any guide currencies of most Olympic host countries rose aftertheir Games, including the Spanish peseta and the US dollar after Barcelona in 1992, Los Angeles in 1984 and Atlanta in 1996.
The Canadian dollar, which, like the Australian dollar, is traditionally seen as commodities-driven, jumped two per cent during the Montreal Olympics and finished the year much higher.
But the fickle Aussie has put in anything but a gold medal performance of late, hitting a near-record low of US56.50 against the greenback in May.
There are good reasons for the dollar to benefit from the Games. The Olympics will boost exports by about $1.5 billion in the September quarter, including $1 billion in TV rights.
In addition, the Olympics will attract an estimated 130,000 overseas spectators, media workers, athletes and officials all laden with foreign currency that must be converted to local dollars.
This export bonus will reduce the current account deficit - the gap between the value of our exports compared to imports - and support the dollar. Some currency experts also expect the dollar will benefit from an Olympics recognition factor.
They hope that with the eyes of the world focused on Sydney for those two weeks in September, the dollar will attract overseas investors simply because we are in the spotlight. But like all forecasts, there is a risk the "Olympic effect" might not materialise.
Professional Management Group
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